Behrend’s expanded career fair draws nearly 800 job-seekers

ERIE, Pa. — Penn State Behrend’s spring All-Access Career Fair expanded the event’s traditional format, opening it to job-seekers with all levels of education. The program, which was offered in partnership with Erie County government and PA CareerLink, was open to the public.

“This was an opportunity to leverage the Behrend career fair, which already was one of the largest in the region, and connect companies with more candidates,” said Michelle Hartmann, associate director of corporate engagement at the college. “Nearly half of the companies we work with are looking for both college graduates and employees without degrees. This was another way we could help them while serving our students and encouraging new connections across our community.”

Nearly 700 Behrend students attended the event, which featured recruiters from Allegheny Health Network, Erie Insurance, the Naval Nuclear Laboratory and the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. More than 80 members of the public also attended.

Tiandra Humes, a guidance counselor at Corry Area High School, brought 15 students. She had practiced with them, rehearsing their interactions with potential recruiters.

“I’m hoping they can make connections and maybe sign up for some internships,” she said. “Maybe an employer will reach out and say, ‘Hey, your kids represented themselves well. Do you have anyone who might want to come work for us?’”